The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-03
HARPER AND THE FIDELITY.
Briggs Swift Tells How the Rascally Vice
President Secured Valuable Endorsement.

lIcsiucut secured q dlUdDl0 luQOFSeIN6uLs
CINCINNATI, Dec. 2-rhe Harper trial opened
with the usual crowd of spectators and the same
groups of attorneys and reporters about the
tables. Mr.. Schoheld, of the First National
Bank of New York, explained the accounts Of
his bank with the Fidelity, stating among other
things that tho Fidelity's general account
showed credi. of $500. coo, while their special
account showed q deficit of $500 600, but he
answered to the court that it was the agreement
that the special account was not to be drawn
upon.
Mr.. Harper showed more than usual feeling
during this witnesses testimony. and shook his
head vehemently as he made q suggestion to his
counsel.
Bank Examiner Powell. who was the govern
ments agent in closing the doors of the Fidelity
last June, told his story-how he was begged by
Harper to pass the examination and then
asked to telegraph to the Comptroller of the
Currency for authority to not make the exami-
nation, but he still refused He then found the
tel!-tae memorandum checks as cash, repre-
senting 100000. Briggs Swift. the president,
said he never knew of them till then. Harper.
when asked for explanation, shrugged his
shoulders and walked away in silence.
Mr.. Yowells, the discount clerk, showed that
discounts to the amount Of $142. 900 were made
between January and June. but most of them
remained uncollected. The defense then drew
from the witness, in spite of the efforts
of the governments counsel to pre-
vent it. the statement that W. II.
Chatfeld, of the directors of the bank, was
one IN whose name discounts appeared as late as
Juno IS. The witness made comical efforts to
withdraw his hasty answer by clappine his
hand over his mouth, but the story was beyond
recall
w. A. Lucius. general book-kesper. testified
to a letter OF advice from party who had no
funds in the bank. Harper took that letter and
the draft, and it next appeared in Harpers &C
count, with his Endorsement.
The cross-examination of Mr.. Lucus con-
cluded without producing anything interesting
MIR. Quinlan, of the Chemical Bank. New
York. was recalled to testify about whether the
drafts upon his bank for $50 000 mentioned in
MS testimony yesterday. had gone to Harpers
individual account or not He said he had re-
ceived a telegram that would enable him to
swer. but the evidence in that form was ruled
inadmissible
looking witness the next. Mr.. Harper
luted him with a nod and smile as he took mis-
place. Mr.. Ashbrook returned the salutation
with unaffected dignity The reason for these
greetings became apparent when the witness
stated that he was the individual
book-k of the Fidelity National Bank
TO j, which, of course. included Mr.. Harper's.
It was concerning this that he was called to tes-
tify. He said Harpers account was frequently
overdrawn. At one time in May it was over
drawn SIC COO He indicated overdrafts at the
time they were made in Harper's account, and
after thew were made in the account of Harper
g. Co. The witness read the fluctuations of
Harper's and other accounts in which he was
interested from January to June. Nearly all
were overdrawn at some time After the fall
ure the witness had marked the overdraf,s Or"
in red ink. Usually overd-afts ran for short
time, but Mr. Harper had told him these were to
run for come time. The witness not
that Harper had instructed him to omit the
"Dr." on these overdrafts
@. j. Kershaw. a Chicago broker
called and Identified number OF letters of ad-
vice signed by Hopkins. assistant cashier of the
Fidelity Bank; also. number of kilograms
signed Fidelity Bank, relating to transfers of
change National Bank Of Chicago
When the district attorney called Briggs
Swift, there was a murmur of expectancy. for
the late Fidelity Bank. A tall, straight man,
with white hair and beard, both scanty, walked
with almost youthful step to the wit
msn who bs. vsa gsSs' .nss sw
three score and ten years, and who has
spent all of his business life in Cincinnati with
never so much as a stain upon his business in
teerity until the merciess hand of the govern
ment placed an indictment upon its records
against MIN along with Harper and other Off
GERS of the bank There are few business men
Swift doing dishonorable act, and there was
much curiosity as to how he would talk when
called a witness. Almost the frs. question
produced laughter He asked if he knew
his bank was engaged in a wheat deal
Il did not" was his blunt answer He then
went on to say that he asked Harper in Jauu-
ary last, if he was in the wheat deal, and Harper
said he had dollar in it. Later sent
him a letter asking the same question, and he
replied by letter, saying that he had no interest
whatever in the matter. and if any man said he
had he was liar. Afterwards, ] often spoke to
him about it. and he always contradicted the
runor that he was in the deal. When the pub
lie began to suspect the Fidelity Bank, and
wanted TO restore confidence, went to the bank
with Mr.. Richard Smith, of the Commercial
Gazette. who has known me for years, and to-
gethsr cetechised Harper the subject.
We put him the stand, and he denied it.
Then Mr.. Smith, upon my assurance and upon
Harper's express statement. wrote editorial
denying that the Fidelity Bank mixed up in
the affair. This but a few days before the
failure.
During his examination Mr. Swift said that
when be was in the city he spent two three
hours each day at the bank, but that he was
away from the city part of the summer and
winter, and that at those times Mr. Harper at
tended to his duties Continuing, he said that
he had never examined the books of the dis
count book keeper nor had be ever, for the bene-
fit Of the bank. examined things critically to see
how business was being carried on. although he
had opportunity TO examine into all things con-
nected with the bank.